Bradford University is launching a pioneering project to help the district's primary school pupils explore deep into space.

Children will be given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to control a powerful telescope and receive detailed information on the secrets of our solar system.

The Bradford Robotic Telescope, on the island of Tenerife, will be made available to pupils as part of the scheme, which aims to encourage interest in space and science.

Experts from the institution's School of Informatics will lead the Space In Schools project.

Dr John Baruch, head of cybernetics, internet and virtual systems at the university, said: "While the Government is making investment in science education and sees science at the heart of the future prosperity of the country, falling numbers of young people continuing with their science education is causing concern.

"Our initiative is designed to extend and reinforce the natural interest of many young people in space with a valuable service which will help teachers grappling with the challenge of illustrating, for example, how shadows produce the phases of the moon or why Australians don't fall off the earth."

Bradford academics are putting together a package of materials, including extensive lesson support, which will be made available on the internet.

This will include working models and simulations of what happens to the Earth during day and night, and details on the orbit of the moon.

It is hoped that all primary schools in Bradford will take part in the project, which will focus on topics compatible with Key Stage 2 science.

Pupils will be given online access to the material from school and their home.

James Machell, Bradford robotic telescope education development officer at the School of Informatics, will leading the project.

He said: "Teaching the abstract concepts found in even the very basic levels of astronomy is a challenge to teachers.

"Why we have day and night and showing how the earth goes around the sun is not easy in school.

"The telescope gives a hands-on and easy to understand approach to the subject of space science.

"Getting every pupil to take their own pictures is an electric experience in the classroom.

"A scientifically-literate society is just as important as having scientists. Everyone should be able to discuss the issues within science and the affect that they have on our lives."

The Space in Schools project has already received backing from the Royal Astronomical Society and the Institute of Physics, who have expressed concern over the numbers of students deciding not to study science at secondary school.

It is hoped that once established in Bradford, the Space In Schools programme will be rolled out to other districts and regions.

e-mail: dan.webber@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

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